CARLEY ROJAS AVILA visits the mysterious ruins of Choquequirao in Peru…
If you thought Machu Picchu was one of a kind, you certainly haven’t heard about Choquequirao. Selected by National Geographic for its exclusive ‘Best of the World 2023’ list, the largely unknown ruins of Choquequirao are only about 40 kilometres away from their more famous cousin. However, the experience couldn’t be more different.
While Machu Picchu receives thousands of visitors daily, Choquequirao welcomes just 15 to 20 people every 24 hours. If Peru has anything to do with it, Choquequirao won’t remain a secret for long.
Choquequirao ancient architectural site in Peru. PICTURE: Jekaterina Sahmanova/iStockphoto.
Long-hidden ruins
Located high in the mountains above the Apurímac River, Choquequirao looks and feels like Machu Picchu. With impressive terracing cascading down the mountainside, a grand central square, and unique white llama images encrusted in the site’s stonework, Choquequirao makes a breathtaking first impression. Still, archeologists have only uncovered around 40 per cent of the site after centuries of nature reclaiming its vast expanses.
“Mysteries still surround this isolated city. PROMPERÚ, the official tourism board of Peru, shared that “there are competing theories about its purpose-ranging from use as a cultural and religious center, to serving a strategic transit point connecting the jungle with other centers in the empire.”
Mysteries still surround this isolated city. PROMPERÚ, the official tourism board of Peru, shared that “there are competing theories about its purpose-ranging from use as a cultural and religious center, to serving a strategic transit point connecting the jungle with other centers in the empire.”
What is known is that Choquequirao was a vital citadel during the Incan resistance against the Spanish conquistadores: it was used as a refuge in 1572 from the Spanish advancing from the Sacred Valley.
Not for everyone
National Geographic hand-picked Choquequirao as one of the world’s best destinations in 2023 for adventure travel. The list names it among five destinations chosen for “exciting activities in breathtaking places.” Indeed, whether due to the soaring altitudes or the stunning vistas along the way, the journey to visit Choquequirao is breathtaking.
But a visit to this Incan site isn’t for everyone. While Machu Picchu is well-equipped to welcome travelers of all ages via fleets of buses and trains, Choquequirao remains incredibly remote. It is accessible only to the most adventurous travelers via a strenuous 61 kilometre, four-day hike from the sleepy mountain town of San Pedro de Cachora.
Jane Packer, a trip planner for Adventure Life, described the hike as “a four on a scale of five for difficulty,” though the journey was her first true multi-day trekking experience. Today, she organises guided excursions to Choquequirao, Machu Picchu, and some of Peru’s other impressive destinations.
While independent hikers can make the journey to Choquequirao, Packer recommends traveling with an experienced guide. “If you go with an organized tour like Adventure Life offers, you’ll have a guide, and necessary camping gear will be provided. Meals will also be provided, so you won’t have to worry about shopping or cooking.” It’s a lot to consider on top of the physical demands of the trek.
Feel like an explorer
The journey to reach Choquequirao is challenging, but the reward is great. With just 15 to 20 daily visitors, travelers enjoy the unique opportunity to freely explore some of the most pristine Incan ruins in the country, almost alone.
Packer explained, “Choquequirao is much less crowded, offering a less touristy experience.” She also shared that visitors can spend as much time as they’d like at Choquequirao, while Machu Picchu tours limit the time visitors can spend among the ruins. With an official campground located just below the site, trekkers can even elect to spend an extra day exploring the ruins before beginning the second half of the trek.
Another view of the Choquequirao site. PICTURE: rchphoto/iStockphoto.
Four days in 15 minutes
The government of Peru hopes to transform Choquequirao from a destination for only the most adventurous to, perhaps, an attraction on the scale of Machu Picchu. Cecilia Berrocal, a representative of PROMPERÚ, said plans have been approved for a cable car system to reach Choquequirao from a nearby town in just 15 minutes, opening up the site to travelers who can’t, or won’t, make the arduous trek to these world-class ruins.
While the arrival of the first travellers via cable car is still years off, the prospect of mass tourism at the site has ignited debate. Proponents look forward to introducing the world to the incredible cultural and historical patrimony of Choquequirao, even considering that this new site could lessen the strain on Machu Picchu.
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Others worry that the mass tourism accompanying a cable car will drastically alter the experience of visiting Choquequirao and the site itself. In its coverage of Choquequirao, National Geographic highlighted how archeologists express concerns about the impact that hundreds or thousands of daily visitors could have on the ruins themselves.
A cable car wouldn’t make the trek to Choquequirao impossible. After all, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is still one of the world’s most famous treks, similar in length and duration to the Choquequirao Trek, and ever-popular regardless of the number of daily visitors that arrive in Machu Picchu by luxury train. However, a cable car would certainly mean the ruins at the end of the trek wouldn’t be as nearly empty as they are now.
“Nothing can replace Machu Picchu”
While Packer says she enjoyed visiting Choquequirao, she wouldn’t skip visiting Machu Picchu for the experience. “[The sites are] definitely complementary,” she said, explaining that while Machu Picchu feels like a much larger, and in some ways grander, site, Choquequirao’s “charm and mysteriousness” are completely unique.
Whether Choquequirao will ever dethrone Machu Picchu remains to be seen, but its attractiveness for adventurous travelers is undeniable. In the meantime, tours combining visits to both landmarks are poised to become Peru’s next big thing.
This article was produced by Home to Havana and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
